[ ♪ theme ] >> bill: yes, yes, yes. it's a tuesday morning. tuesday, august 6th. good morning, everybody. great to see you today. thank you for joining us here and welcome to the "full court press." we are your morning talk show. three hours of town hall here. monday through friday coming to you live on current tv. our job is to tell you what's going on this morning both here in our nation's capital, around the country and around the globe and your job is to tell us what

you think about it all. you can do so by just picking up the phone early this morning, giving us a call at 1-866-55-press. or you've probably already been tweeting this morning. come to us on twitter at bpshow. and on facebook, join us at facebook.com/billpressshow. big question on facebook, we'll tell you all about this morning. in the news today, the major league baseball dropped the hammer yesterday finally on a-rod suspending him for 211 games. he's allowed to play while he appeals that decision. in fact, he played against the white sox in chicago last night. 12 other players were slapped with 50 game suspensions starting immediately. the white house is defending, keeping 19 embassies closed in the middle east for an entire week because they say the terrorist threat, learned about

is significant and they're taking it seriously. that's just part of what we'll be covering this morning on current tv. >> did anyone tell the pilgrims they should self-deport? >> no, they said "make us a turkey and make it fast". >> (laughter). >> she gets the comedians laughing. >> that's the best! >> that's hilarious. >> ... and the thinkers thinking. >> okay, so there is wiggle room in the ten commandments is what you're telling me. >> she's joy behar. >> ya, i consider you jew-talian. >> okay, whatever you want. >> who plays kafka? >> who saw kafka? >> who ever saw kafka? >> (laughter). >> asking the tough questions. >> chris brown, i mean you wouldn't let one of your daughters go out with him. >> absolutely not. >> you would rather deal with ahmadinejad then me? >> absolutely! >> (singing) >> i take lipitor, thats it. >> are you improving your lips? >> (laughter). >> when she's talking, you never know where the conversation is going to go. >> it looks like anthony wiener is throwing his hat in the ring. >> his what in the ring? >> his hat. >> always outspoken, joy behar. >> and the best part is that current will let me say

anything. what the hell were they thinking? >> only on current tv.

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>> occupy! >> we will have class warfare. (vo) true stories, current perspective. documentaries. on current tv. >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: extra, extra, read all about it! "washington post" has been sold! whoa! hey, good morning, everybody. nation's capital waking up to that shocking bit of news this morning and people all around the country talking about it, as well. good morning, good morning, great to see you. it's a tuesday. tuesday, august 6th, in fact. and we are here in our nation's

capital, booming out to you all across this great land of ours on your local progressive talk radio station, lucky if you've got one and give them your full support and on current tv for another week and a day here. and we're glad to be with you whether you're watching or listening, keep up with us here on the "full court press" and join the conversation. because our job is to let you know what's going on this morning here in our nation's capital, around the country and around the globe. your job is to tell us what you think about it all. and what you think we ought to be doing about it. 1-866-55-press is your ticket. that's our toll free number. 1-866-55-press. and then you go on twitter, if you prefer. give us your comments at bpshow or on facebook at facebook.com/billpressshow.

it is a busy, busy day in the world of journalism indeed with "the washington post" being sold. in the world of sports with a-rod and 12 other players suspended. most of the attention on a-rod, of course. and on the national security front with 19 of our american embassies in the middle east still shut down this week. because of intelligence received of a reported terror threat. all of that and a whole lot more coming up here. that's why we brought in the entire team today. we had to because we have so much to talk about. i was going to give half of you a day off but then made that extra call at 3:00 a.m., get your ass in here. peter ogborn, dan henning. >> good morning. >> bill: alichia cruz has the phones covered. cyprian bowlding, he's there on the video cam keeping us looking good on current tv. and of course, the biggest news

of all we didn't get to yet is it didn't take her long. sidney leathers, she is one of the dozen or so women that anthony weiner was sexting with. we don't know how many. she's the one getting all of the attention because she's the one who has been the most outspoken. she admitted that she had a few sugar daddies in the past. she was thinking about maybe she could parlay this into a career in x-rated films and pornography. there is your life's ambition, right? >> now you've made it. look at me now, mom! >> bill: in less than a week, she has made her first little porn movie. it is kind of soft porn. i did my homework. i watched it last night. only in the interest of being able to talk about it this morning. to know what i was talking

about. >> i appreciate your dedication, sir. >> bill: she talks about the fact that when she starts texting, sexting with anthony weiner, he loves to see her with nothing on but high heels. >> he had a very big fetish for high heels. i don't know that that's he's about for all girls or just something for me. but he loved pictures of me in high heels. >> that voice. the voice alone would turn me off. i'm telling you. i must admit, not very inspired, shall we say by this video. she says we were thinking maybe we would get a condo in chicago. >> he had kind of talked about maybe helping me get a condo in chicago and then that became this whole other fantasy of how will i sneak in and out without people recognizing me and how will we have sex and have the

neighbors not hear, that type of thing. >> bill: just out for the paycheck. >> can you blame her? >> they just deserve each other. they just deserve each other. you know? >> bill: she's as low-class as he is. >> seriously. i know he gets beat up. he deserves every bit of criticism and crap. >> bill: don't tell me she's any princess. >> good grief. >> bill: she makes monica look like a class act. all right. we've got it covered this morning with igor volsky from think progress. he will be along as he is every tuesday morning. wayne pacelle, the head of the humane society of america, great friend of ours, great american will be here to tell us about the latest on horse slaughter in this country and what the humane society is doing about it. jon ward, senior political reporter for "huffington post" in studio with us as well. they're just a few of our guests

this morning. we'll get right to it with "the washington post" being sold but first -- >> announcer: this is the "full court press." >> other headlines making news on this tuesday. the republican national committee is not happy that nbc and cnn are actually considering something that may be entertaining to their viewers. reince priebus is threatening to pull the networks' access to the 2016 primary debates unless the networks pull the hillary clinton-related projects they plan to air. politico reports priebus is deeply disappointed over the network's decision to promote the former secretary of state ahead of her likely presidential candidacy. >> bill: this is silly but it does show, to me, how terrified the republican party is about running, that they might have to run against hillary clinton in 2016. they're trying to derail her. by the way, if you're in d.c. or cnn and you're thinking of making -- who out there is

worthy of a documentary about an incredible political career like hello! former first lady of arkansas, first lady of the united states. the united states senator from new york. almost won the presidential primary, right secretary of state, what did i miss? i mean hello. incredible career. >> i'm upset because the most entertaining thing i watched during the election cycle was the republican debate. so i mean if they're going to try to keep those off those channels -- >> bill: they'll be on other channels. >> i just want to make sure. i don't want to miss out. >> jake tapper is making his acting debut online next week. yeas and nays reports the cnn anchor and reporter is appearing on the legendary soap opera "all my children" on this coming monday's episode. a very original role for mr. tapper. he is playing that role of a reporter. "all my children" used to air on

abc. it is now on hulu and itunes. susan lucci is not on there anymore. >> bill: i did an appearance on golden girls when i was a reporter in los angeles. >> really? i love that show. >> bill: it is out there somewhere. >> now i know. >> bill: i haven't gotten a residual check from that. they needed a reporter or anchor. >> on golden girls with betty white. >> yeah. >> all right. >> giving birth in public places is the in thing to do right now apparently. last week, it was on a subway platform in washington. this past weekend, it was in a subway restaurant in nevada. the woman birthed into the sandwich shop saying she was in labor. employees jumped into action and lined the women's restroom floor with sandwich wrappers for sanitation. >> that sounds sanitary.

>> "huffington post" reports paramedics arrived -- here, sweetie, i have some fast food wrappers. >> paramedics arrived just in time to help with the delivery of a healthy baby boy. it happened 40 miles south of reno. >> bill: there you go. how about it. >> i don't know about that. >> bill: subway. >> i don't know about that. >> bill: yes, indeed. it is a shocker and for those of you watching on television, here's "the washington post" this morning. graham is the family that owns it. grahams to sell the post. in fact, it is the headline in "the new york times," too, amazon's founder to buy "the washington post." i would be willing to say it is on the front page of every newspaper that's left in the united states this morning because it is a big, big story and it is news that has implications way, way, way beyond the beltway.

but, of course, this is not -- sorry, don't take offense, right? this is not something like the wilmington, delaware, news journal. this is a major national paper. i would say "the washington post" is more than a newspaper. it is a national treasure. it really is. this is a paper that's considered the power of our nation's capital. it brought down president nixon. it has inspired thousands of people to get into journalism because the quality of its reporting and its editorials and its op-ed. it's a tremendous paper. and still is. it has been owned by the graham family for seven generations. it is a classic case of a family dedicated to good journalism that has made this their life and from -- handed it down from one generation to the next. at one time, it was worth billions and billions of dollars

but as donald graham, the current -- he stepped up, i'm not sure exactly what his title is, he was a publisher. now his niece is the publisher, katherine weymouth. donald graham told "washington post," effort at having the video present. washpostlive. they looked at the numbers and realized after year after year after year of not making a profit, sadly, here, they face the reality. >> every graham, not only every graham but everybody at the top of "the washington post" company had the same reaction when we first started to think about the possibility which was great surprise, sadness. >> bill: but he said the numbers just weren't there. >> katherine and i started to look at the numbers, realized

this year 2013 would be the seventh straight year of significant declining revenues. >> bill: 44% decline in the revenues last year. so they started, he said, they started looking around for a buyer and they didn't find a company to buy it. they found one man. one man who had enough cash, he could buy this with spare cash. jeff basos, of course, the founder of amazon. i have to tell you, one of the most creativive entrepreneurs this country has ever seen, a real genius. started up amazon.com and look at it today. there's nothing you can buy, you can't buy on amazon today. i buy a lot on amazon. only books. i don't think i've ever bought anything else on amazon. you went to amazon to buy books. now, you go to amazon. you gotta fight to find the books because the list is this long of what you can buy on

amazon. it is incredible. i'm trying to think of what you couldn't buy. >> bill: it is like costco, walmart and cvs, everything combined, barnes & noble. it is incredible. and this "washington post" which was once worth billions of dollars, he bought it for $250 million. he won't even notice that. that's 1% of the stock he owns in amazon. >> that is amazing. $250 million. >> bill: love your take on this. i think it is a sad day, in a sense, i don't want to sound like an old farther here. in a sense, it is a sad day for american journalism because of this institution of "the washington post" and what it represents. on the other hand, this is a sign of the times, i think, and i think it's exciting that a guy who is really the genius, he and bill gates of the digital age. they represent the potential of

this digital age, he's taken this paper. god knows what he'll be able to do with it. no idea but he certainly has some vision there. i think it shows a couple of things. number one, it shows that this is a trend now. more and more wealthy people who want to buy newspapers as trophies. john henry just bought "the boston globe" less than a week ago. by the way, for spare change compared to what it was worth. the koch brothers are out there, god forbid, they want to buy the "l.a. times" and "the chicago tribune." of course, they want it for propaganda purposes. jeff is buying "the washington post" basically because he can. he says he'll leave everybody in charge who is in charge right now. he just wants to own it. it is his latest trophy. it is like a beach house or 747 or big yacht, buy a newspaper instead. i also think it means if he had any doubt that print newspapers are on their way out, i think this means -- this is the end of print newspapers.

i say that as a real newspaper buff. i mean i get "the new york times" at home, delivered. i get "the washington post" at home, delivered. the print editions. i read both. i read them both before i come into the studio in the morning. when i go around the country, i love buying newspapers. "the chicago tribune," the "l.a. times." the portland oregonian. i love reading those papers. how many people get their print newspaper delivered at home? >> i don't anymore. i let it expire about a year and a half ago. >> bill: you probably don't miss it. >> die miss it. >> i get the newspaper on sunday, once a week. no, alichia cruz or cyprian. >> bill: maybe 1/5 of americans. >> if that. i struggle with the thought of letting my newspaper

subscription go because i've always had one. i like a physical newspaper until i let it go away and then i said you know, everything exists online. all of the stories. what they do sometimes is if it's -- if a story will be in wednesday's paper, they'll put it on line on tuesday night. so by the time their own story hits the newspaper, it is old. >> that's the thing. it is not that i'm not reading the newspaper, i'm reading it online. >> bill: i read this but i read most of what i read in the morning the night before. so i read a ton of stuff online but i like the physical newspaper. >> so nice you read it twice. >> bill: i think we're seeing the end of this thing. i bet with jeff basos there, five years, there will not be a post in print. let's talk about it. >> announcer: connect with the "bill press show" on twitter. follow us at bpshow and tweet using the hashtag watching bp. this is the "bill press show."

date, staying in touch with everything that is going on politically and putting my own nuance on it. in reality it's not like they actually care. this is purely about political grandstanding.

cenk off air alright in 15 minutes we're going to do the young turks! i think the number 1 thing than viewers like about the young turks is that were honest. they know that i'm not bsing them for some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know i'm going to be the first one to call them out. cenk on air>> what's unacceptable is how washington continues to screw the middle class over. cenk off air i don't want the middle class taking the brunt of the spending cuts and all the different programs that wind up hurting the middle class. cenk on air you got to go to the local level, the state level and we have to fight hard to make sure they can't buy our politics anymore. cenk off air and they can question if i'm right about that. but i think the audience gets that, i actually mean it. cenk on air 3 trillion dollars in spending cuts! narrator uniquely progressive and always topical, the worlds largest online news show is on current tv. cenk off air and i think the audience gets, "this guys to best of his abilities is trying to look out for us." only on current tv!

>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >> bill: okay. igor is here. igor volsky from think progress. in the next half hour. the "full court press." on jeff basos buying "the washington post." matt writes if jeff runs the post the way he runs amazon, it will be great news for journalism. >> some people point out that jeff doesn't have the greatest record in terms of how he treats his workers. one person on twitter pointing out fred wilder says jeff basos

is a libertarian not known for providing safe conditions at his fulfillment centers unless president barack obama visits as he did last week. pat says i really like reading newspapers on my ipad even before i get out of bed in the morning. you don't have to walk out to get the newspaper. >> bill: mark from fort collins, colorado. >> caller: hello. how is it going? >> bill: what's up? what do you think? >> caller: i listen to your show for a long time and i'm delivering newspapers right now, actually. i just wanted to comment, you said you were kind of curious about how many people actually subscribe to the newspaper. an average carrier delivers between 200 to 300 papers. i'm doing about 400 to 500. >> bill: whoa. very good. mark, i don't know fort collins well enough to know if that's "the denver post." good to hear from you, marc.

(vo) current tv gets the conversation started weekdays at 9 eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. the troops love me. tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy. (vo) sharp tongue. >>excuse me? (vo) quick wit. >> and yes, president obama does smell like cookies and freedom. (vo) and above all, opinion and attitude. >> really?! this is the kind of stuff they say about something they just pulled freshly from their [bleep]. >> you know what those people are like. >> what could possibly go wrong in eight years of george bush? >> my producer just coughed up a hairball. >>sorry. >>just be grateful current tv doesn't come in "smell-o-vision" >> oh come on!

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>> announcer: starting live on free speech tv on september 3rd, learn more at billpressshow.com. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: hey, that's right. good reminder. 33 minutes after the hour now that august 15 is our last day on current tv. progressive talk radio continues. no interruption. full time all the way through. we'll take a two-week hayatous on television and we'll pop up again on free speech tv on september 3rd. go to freespeech.org and the

good news is you'll be able to watch us on television if you have a satellite dish, on two different networks. dish network or directv. and you'll be able to watch us online as well and it is all there at freespeech.org. >> yes, indeed. >> bill: we'll continue to come at you both video and audio and look forward to keeping in touch with you and continuing to be part of the program. so you won't miss igor volsky on tuesdays. good morning, igor from think progress, managing editor. great to see you. >> great to see you. >> bill: did you read your post this morning? we've been talking about the sale of the post yesterday. it came as a big shockaroo. >> i highlight it, i read it, i underline it. you can't do that online. i take little notes for myself. it is how i remember the information. so if it goes five years, i'm going to be one of those people

who is really gonna miss it because there's something about putting the paper down, opening it, look at all of the sections, picking out what you want to read, looking at all of the options. you can do it online to a certain degree but the physicality, i think, of the news, for me is compelling. >> bill: if you look at any newspaper like on the butcher block at home where i've been reading it, it will look like this. >> that's how do you it. >> bill: circle things i will remember. carol, it drives her crazy. do you own a kindle? >> i do. and an ipad. i triple down. >> bill: he's already started to sell out. >> i'm not anti-newspaper by any stretch but i think people have gotten to the point where they say -- what are they going to do to start getting physical newspapers to make money? are they going to start charging you $6 or $7 for a newspaper? and would you pay that? >> bill: the problem is the advertising, they can advertise now online and get the reach

they would get in print so it doesn't pay anymore. >> it is exciting, the guy who revolutionized books and books, sales is now -- and the internet. it has completely changed because of what jeff bezos did. >> bill: a lot of people around town are saying this is the end of the world. i don't think it is. it is the beginning of a new world. we don't know what it's going to look like. >> we've moved so much toward the tweets and instagram and the microforms of communication. the fact that someone like him is buying "the post" and is maybe going to revolutionize it. it could be a whole new way that people consume news and a whole new group -- a whole new generation rediscovering newspapers if he does this right. in some ways, it is very exciting. i hope he holds on to the paper edition. >> bill: i hope -- we all do. and you know, he's certainly got

enough money that he can continue to -- >> he can fund it himself, i think. >> bill: he can continue to subsidize it for awhile. we're getting very close to the time when obamacare and through the health exchanges, will be available to people who do not get health insurance at their place of work. and what is it? 2.7 million people or seven million trying to sign up in the first year. so in the department of hhs and the president are out there making sure everybody knows that this is available. they even have some tv spots getting the word out. some states are cooperating. you have reported some states not. >> it is really a mixed, mixed bag. you have a broad spectrum of efforts. this is really a state-based effort. it has been from the very beginning. you have states like colorado, like new york, like maryland, like california, really trying

to get the word out, trying to make sure people sign up. trying to make sure young people sign up because that's really the key. you have to get people in to spread the cost and risk of insurance. >> bill: people know it's available and know how to get it. and also the premiums that have been reported like in maryland and california and new york are historically low. >> yeah. that really varies state by state. you've been seeing over the last -- months even, kind of this drip, drip, drip of news about high premiums in south carolina and florida and ohio. and we did a whole kind of guide to reading the stories on think progress, pointing out that you know, premiums is tough. it is very easy to spin both by proponents and by opponents depending on what you compare the increase to and what kind of rates you're using. are you just talking about averages or are you talking about what people actually pay.

this is a big one. are you counting the subsidies people will receive because oftentimes, you read a story and it says 70% increase. it doesn't take into account for the subsidy that most people are receiving. you have seven million people signed up in 2014. of those seven million, they're projecting six million are going to receive a tax credit. so the overall majority of the newly insured in the first year will have their premiums subsidized so they're probably going to see -- >> bill: some states, they're making it very -- the states that are not cooperating, it is going to be hard to find, right? >> well, it's just you wouldn't know about it. for instance, in missouri, there are no ads. there's no one talking about it. they've passed a law saying you can't talk about it. it is really hard for people if they call up their department of health, for instance, to find out what's going on and ironically, of course, these are the red states that don't invest

in healthcare anyway for their residents and so the highest rates of uninsured. so for these people, they're really on their own. >> bill: these are the states where they really need it. people live there. >> where they have no medicaid expansion because the state said no. where they're not setting up the new marketplaces, the exchanges, the federal government is doing it. it is up to the federal government. >> bill: so what can the federal government do in those states? >> it has to get on the ground in those states and really advertise this thing. advertise the fact that enrollment starts october 1st and folks need to go to the web site, healthcare.gov and the web site where the federal exchange is going to be because in those states -- >> bill: didn't i read, is organizing for america going to be doing this on basically a door-to-door effort? >> i think they're probably

doing healthcare things. mainly, it is enroll america. which is a c3 nonprofit, nonpolitical group that has a lot -- i think -- at this point, hundreds of staff on the ground in states like this. in states like missouri where the government -- where the local republican conservative government says no way, we're not doing anything to help you, mr. president. so they're the ones on the ground going door-to-door, they're letting people know that this is an option starting october 1st. >> bill: it is just insane that finally, after trying to do this for 100 years, we get some kind of universal health insurance so that all of these millions and millions and millions of americans who have never been able to afford health insurance and do not get it as part of their job can finally have access to health insurance for their families. the state that they live in is trying to make it impossible for them to do so. >> it is not even the worst of it. you have folks like americans for prosperity and all of these other groups who are encouraging

young people to stay uninsured. to not sign up, to not comply with the individual mandates so that they drive prices up and who are they driving prices up? for older people, sicker people. these are the folks that will be affected. >> bill: this is so sick. they don't want young people to sign it because they don't want president obama to have a victory. >> they want it to fail. >> bill: those bastards. >> demint was talking about it. >> bill: total bastards. on the issue of executive pay which is something we've talked about here a lot on the show, i saw think progress story on that this week. which i thought was interesting. >> alan pike, our economics reporter writes that two senators, jack reed and richard blumenthal are proposing this measure that really limits how much ceos can write off on performance-based salaries. there was this rule that allowed

them to really write all of this stuff off and you had a shift as a result to performance-based salary. it is costing taxpayers, they estimate $7.5 billion in lost revenue because these guys who, by the way, since the recession are doing a-okay and ceo pay is way back up there. more than a-okay. triple a-okay. and the government's losing money. and so this bill tries to net some of that revenue back in and i think it will net about $5 billion per year. and so when you hear republicans, lawmakers talking about tax reform and closing loopholes, this is one of those loopholes that these folks can afford to close. >> bill: we were talking about this. the average gap now between what a ceo makes and the average worker something like 235 times. if you can't cap executive

salary, at least legislation like this makes sense which would prevent their writing off a lot of their obscene salary and not paying taxes on it. thinkprogress, they're all over it. thinkprogress.org. igor volsky managing editor here with us as he is every tuesday. your comments on "the post," on access to obamacare or executive salary welcome at 1-866-55-press. >> announcer: get social with bill press. like us at facebook.com/billpressshow.

this show is about analyzing, criticizing, and holding policy to the fire. are you encouraged by what you heard the president say the other night? is this personal or is it political? a lot of my work happens by doing the things that i am given to doing anyway. staying in tough with everything that is going on politically and putting my own nuance on it. not only does senator rubio just care about rich people but somehow he thinks raising the minimum wage is a bad idea for the middle class. but we do care about them, right? vo: the war room tonight at 6 eastern i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

>> bill: 13 minutes before the top of the hour. here we go. it is tuesday, august 6th. igor volsky, managing editor of think progress in studio with us as he is every tuesday morning. back to the news of the day. first, a reminder about something that could be very, very important to you. again, i say look at it this way. imagine you had an accident. you're unconscious. medics arrive. they can't get any information out of you because you cannot communicate. that could make the difference between life and death. you ought to consider signing up for emergency link i.d. it is a small tag that you attach to your key ring or put in your wallet or purse that tells emergency responders everything they might need to know. your medical history, your meds, allergies, doctor's contact info and most importantly, whom to notify. that could make the difference between life and death. so sign up now for emergency

link's emergency response service. it is only $10 a year and you'll receive your i.d. kit free. but you have to hurry. this limited offer at emergencylink.com, the way to get it. go to emergencylink.com and enter press. that's emergencylink.com. emergencylink.com. enter press. and you are all set. so igor, it is great to have you in here every tuesday. >> every tuesday. >> bill: some big news for you this week. at the end of the week. >> yeah. >> bill: we're all friends here. before i get to that -- i'm sorry -- >> oh, no. >> bill: we have this contest i forgot to mention. we're running a contest on facebook and on twitter this morning. >> on facebook this morning. >> bill: on facebook as to the biggest schmuck of summer. the biggest schmuck of summer. we want you to vote or give us your comments on it.

candidates of course are anthony weiner, eliot spitzer, a-rod, simon cowell. >> simon? what did he do? >> bill: you don't know? he fathered a baby with his best friend's wife. >> really? >> bill: or bob filner. there are four new yorkers, we threw in bob filner. the biggest schmuck of summer. facebook.com/billpressshow. you let us know. >> i'm going to vote for simon because i didn't know about it. it is shocking. >> bill: this big news this week. you're getting married this saturday. >> getting married near the capitol on saturday. and yeah. >> bill: best wishes from all of us. >> thank you very much. >> are you happy with your partner now? are you happy? why do you want to mess it up and get married? >> here we go. [phone ringing]

>> i get from all directions. >> i have to give you the speech. >> bill: you don't have to answer that. this is addressed to me. open it up. this is from the whole gang here. >> it is a picture of dan on his wedding day. >> thank you, guys. this is so sweet. thank you very much. >> bill: dinner for you and brian at the back porch cafe at rehoboth beach, delaware. >> thank you very much. thank you, bill. >> bill: the whole gang here. enjoy, enjoy. think of us. >> we will. we'll take pictures and send them to you. >> bill: after you have your third martini. all right. since we're loose this morning, can i give you my martini poem? >> oh, you have a poem? >> bill: dorothy parker once said i love a martini but two at

the very most with three, i'm under the table. with four, i'm under my host. am i allowed to say that? tanning beds. what is this? >> there we go. [ laughter ] congressman who thinks tanning beds are racist. >> that's what he's telling boehner to argue in order to repeal -- the republicans have taken now 40 votes to repeal the affordable care act. piece by piece, the whole thing. 40 in total. and so yoho, yes, said -- congressman yoho. >> bill: he has to be from texas. where is he from? >> i think he's from florida. >> he knows something about tanning. and he says that the affordable care act tax on tanning as part of a comprehensive package to pay for all of the benefits.

there is a tax on some 2.5% or something. he says well, you know, boehner should really take this to the people. boehner who we all know loves to tan. >> bill: i was going to say if anybody is upset about this, it is john boehner. >> that he should argue that it is racist against white people. >> yeah, sure. because now they're going to have to pay a little extra for that orange glow. >> bill: others who are not caucasian don't have to pay. >> they're at a big advantage. >> bill: racist tax. >> i still love how president obama at one of the us who correspondents meeting said he and john bainer have a lot of things in common. they're both people of color. >> bill: it is a color not seen on the planet. >> not naturally occurring. >> bill: john boehner is the only member be of congress to have a tanning bed in his own office, right? >> i'm sure. actually his desk. some people has a standing desk.

he has a laying desk. >> bill: we'll miss you next week. have a great wedding. have a great honeymoon and a great life and we'll see you back here two weeks from now. >> have fun. >> bill: have a great time. we'll be back and take a quick look at the e-mail. wayne pacelle from the humane society is at the top of the next hour. >> announcer: the "bill press show" is joining free speech tv starting september 3rd. find out how to watch at billpressshow.com. in eight years of george bush? >> my producer just coughed up a hairball. >>sorry. >>just be grateful current tv doesn't come in "smell-o-vision" >> oh come on! the sweatshirt is nice and all, but i could use a golden lasso. (vo)only on current tv.

>> if you believe in state's rights but still support the drug war you must be high. >> "viewpoint" digs deep into the issues of the day. >> do you think that there is any chance we'll see this president even say the words "carbon tax"? >> with an open mind... >> has the time finally come for real immigration reform? >> ...and a distinctly satirical point of view. >> but you mentioned "great leadership" so i want to talk

about donald rumsfeld. >> (laughter). >> watch the show. >> only on current tv. (vo) she gets the comedians laughing and the thinkers thinking. >>ok, so there's wiggle room in what you're saying. (vo) she's joy behar. >>current will let me say anything. >> announcer: taking your e-mails on any topic at any

time, this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: wayne pacelle, president of the humane society of america in studio with us next hour as well as jon ward, senior political reporter from "huffington post." >> write us an e-mail on any topic at any time at billpressshow.com. al says "the washington post" corporation is more than a great paper. they also invest in digital education. billions of students will be taking advantage of free online courses thanks to the "washington post." and kitty johnson says better jeff bezos than rupert murdoch or the koch brothers. the "wall street journal" was a pretty good newspaper once, too. >> bill: you know what? we were talking about trophies, forgot to mention rupert murdoch owning the the "wall street journal." he owns the "new york post" and fox news. yeah. better than rupert murdoch, for sure.

[ ♪ theme ] >> bill: good morning, everybody. it is tuesday, august 6. great to see you this morning. thank you for joining us here on the "full court press." we're coming to you live on current tv. still all across this great land of ours, booming out to you with the news of the day. such as it is from our nation's capital. and around the country, around the globe, a lot of news actually when you think about a-rod, when you think about the terror threat we're living under. and we think about "the

washington post" sold to jeff bezos. lots to talk about and lots -- you're going to want to comment about. and you can do so one of three ways. give us a call at 1-866-55-press. join us on twitter at bpshow or on facebook at facebook.com/billpressshow indeed. let's start with major league baseball dropping the hammer on a-rod yesterday. suspending him for 211 games although he will be able to continue playing while he appeals that decision. and in fact, played last night in chicago against the white sox. 12 other players suspended for 50 games each and their suspension began immediately. the white house meanwhile is defending, keeping 19 u.s. embassies closed this entire week because of intelligence about a possible terrorist threat. and washington in shock this morning with news that the mighty "washington post" has

been sold. that gets us started. that's just part of what we'll cover on current tv. (vo) with award winning documentaries that take you inside the headlines. way inside. (christoff) we're patrolling the area looking for guns, drugs, bodies ... (adam) we're going to places where few others are going. [lady] you have to get out now. >> lots of terrible things happen to people growing marijuana. >> this crop to me is my livelihood. >> i'm being violated by the health care system. (christoff) we go and spend a considerable amount of time getting to know the people and the characters that are actually living these stories. (vo) from the underworld, to the world of privilege. >> everyone in michael jackson's life was out to use him. (vo) no one brings you more documentaries that are real, gripping, current.

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this show is about analyzing, criticizing, and holding policy to the fire. are you encouraged by what you heard the president say the other night? is this personal, or is it political? a lot of my work happens by doing the things that i'm given to doing anyway, by staying in touch with everything that is going on politically and putting my own nuance on it. in reality it's not like they actually care. this is purely about political grandstanding. i've worn lots of hats, but i've always kept this going. i've been doing politics now for a dozen years. (vo) he's been called the epic politics man. he's michael shure and his arena is the war room. >> these republicans in congress that think the world ends at the atlantic ocean border and pacific ocean border. the bloggers and the people that are sort of compiling the best of the day. i do a lot of looking at those people as well. not only does senator rubio just care about rich people, but somehow he thinks raising the

minimum wage is a bad idea for the middle class. but we do care about them right? >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio and on current tv. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: extra, extra, read all about it. of "the washington post" has been sold. what do you say? good morning, everybody. great to see you this morning. it is tuesday, august 6th. this is the "full court press" and we're booming out to you live on your local progressive talk radio station and on current tv, all across this great land of ours, coast-to-coast with the news of the day.

and giving you a chance to let us know what you think about it all by calling at 1-866-55-press. on twitter at bpshow and on facebook at facebook.com/billpressshow. a lot of news this morning and a lot of stories this morning about -- in or about related to animal welfare, animal cruelty and nobody does a better job of this than the humane society of america and its great president wayne pacelle who joins us in studio this morning. wayne, it is great to see you. >> bill:, thanks for having me on. >> bill: thanks for all of your great work. coming in to bring us up to date. joining our team here this morning with peter ogborn and dan henning. alichia cruz has the phones covered. cyprian bowlding keeps us on the cameras looking good on current tv. as good as he can. given the material he's got to work with. you know, even in your world,

you must have heard what happened to a-rod yesterday. >> oh, yes, of course. >> i have been a long-time yankees fan. >> oh, sorry. >> bill: what do yankee fans think about a-rod? >> great skepticism at this point. i think he hasn't been producing all that well -- >> bill: been paying him a lot of money and haven't been getting a lot for it. >> enormous price tag. not that yankee fans are fickle but you know, i don't think there's great sympathy for a-rod. >> bill: yeah. it is going to be interesting when he plays for the first time in yankee stadium. after this. he was booed last night at chicago. of course, it made great fodder for the late night comics. jay leno starting. >> it is official. major league baseball has suspended alex rodriguez for 211 games but he's fighting. he resigned to come back ten times bigger and ten times stronger. >> bill: even more steroids.

>> performanceperformance-enhans are in the horse racing industry which ties into the issue. >> bill: they're banned there equally, right? >> not really. you can do same day drugging of horses in some jurisdictions and it's an incredible, you know, cocktail of drugs that are given to horses. some states prohibit them. others do not. and then some of the trainers who are disreputable try to get ahead of the regulators and always coming up with some newfangled potion just like with athletics. you have the athletes trying to stay one step ahead, the people who think they have -- >> bill: the big races. the preakness or the kentucky derby, are they allowed? >> there is no national regulatory authority for horse racing so it devolves to the states which has been a big criticism and there has been legislation in congress to have a national racing authority because the horses are moved in interstate commerce. it is not as if you're racing your horse in kentucky then you

don't go to new york. they should have the same set of rules in every state. obviously there's more scrutiny for the big races but you've got a lot of problems with some of the big states. kentucky has cracked down but historically, there were problems there. new york has some strong standards. even stuff like anti-inflammatories. you have horses that are not suited to run and then they're given something to get them prepped to run. and that leads to the animals becoming vulnerable to breakdowns on the track. and we have more breakdowns for horses on the track than any country in the world. >> bill: just the beginning of the conversation about horses and other animal rights issues here this morning with wayne pacelle. jon ward from "huffington post" will be joining us at the half. in the next hour, travis waldron from think progress sports and we'll talk more about eye -- a-rod. first, dan with the big

headlines. >> other headlines making news on this tuesday, another day, another major newspaper sold. this one here in our nation's capital. "the washington post" announcing yesterday after generations of ownership under the graham family, the paper and its affiliated publications are being sold to jeff bezos, the founder of amazon.com for $250 million. he'll own the paper himself. it will not be affiliated with amazon. he also will take the company private. while the "the post" web site is make money, the newspaper division suffered a 44% revenue drop over the last six years. >> we know something by the way here on this show about having your platform sold out from under you. it happened to current tv. >> you know how this is a huge deal? if you look at the front page of "the new york times," top of the fold, amazon founded by "the washington post." below the fold is the a-rod news about his suspension in "the

new york times." >> bill: in "the new york times," right. >> "newsweek" "daily beast" chief tina brown went head to head with a former employee of hers on twitter yesterday. after former "daily beast" media critic with fox, howard kurtz tweeted brown tried to save "newsweek" but it was full of chaos, waste and dysfunction. brown tweeted back am i forgetting something or didn't i fire you for serial inaccuracy? >> bill: touche, tina. >> she dropped the hammer. and college officials in iowa city, iowa, aren't happy after they worked hard over the past couple of years to battle against binge drinking and partying. the university of iowa has been named the top party school in the nation by the princeton review. sarn ta barbara, west virginia and syracuse on the list. still holding the top list on the stone-cold sober list, brigham young.

> bill: that's funny. >> highest? >> university of iowa. top party school in the nation. >> bill: i didn't know that. >> much else to do in iowa? >> bill: the top party school. wow. so wayne, wanted to talk about many issues. one that caught my attention when i saw this in "the new york times" the other day. the federal judge halted plans to stop horse slaughter. it was supposed to start this week. >> monday. yesterday. plants were supposed to open in iowa, not far from ames where the university of iowa is and also in new mexico and the humane society of the united states with colorado-based horse rescue organization sued in federal court, u.s. district court and albuquerque and the judge granted a temporary restraining order basically saying that these plants and basically the u.s. department of agriculture did not do the

proper environmental review. there were, bill, several horse slaughter plants operating six or seven years ago. the locals reported blood in the sewage system, blood in the ground. animal parts around the town. a number of environmental impacts from a large -- these are large-bodied animal sources. if you're processing thousands of them, there are impacts. usda did not do the proper environmental review according to a judge. we'll be in court in 30 days but we have stayed the action of these plants temporarily and we're going to be prepared to go to court with our lawyers at the end of august. >> bill: wasn't there legislation that prohibited this and then the department of agriculture still allowed these -- >> it was very strange. what happened is -- there were a couple of things. there is a bill in congress called the safe act to prohibit slaughtering horses for human consumption. that's the issue. it is not about killing horses d

is about killing them for human consumption because we don't eat horses in the united states but they're exported to france, belgium, japan and italy. that legislation, while it has tremendous bipartisan support in congress has not been passed. but every year, the congress is supposed to pass appropriation bills to fund the operations of government. when the agriculture spending bill came up, we worked with our allies, mary landrieu of louisiana and lindsey graham of south carolina and the house side, jim moran of virginia and bill young of florida to have language to stipulate that usda could not spend any of its dollars setting up an inspections program for horse slaughter for human consumption. we won the amendments but the spending bill is not passed because congress is not doing its job on a reliable basis. we don't know when that was going to pass but usda surprisingly -- with that looming, with that spending ban looming and the prospect of the

plants operating for two months, three months at the longest, basically said okay, we're going to grant you inspection permits. bill, this is even more strange because the administration in its 2014 budget request on agricultural spending urged a defund of the horse slaughter plant. so i think the lawyers got ahold of this and they took this highly legalistic view that well, we don't support horse slaughter but the current law says it is okay. so we're just going to allow this. >> bill: when i read that, i thought it was like -- you know, one hand wasn't talking to the other or something. >> it was very strange. disappointing to us. we're hoping that this legal action in the u.s. district court in albuquerque allow us to bridge between now and when the agriculture spending bill language kicks in. >> bill: two questions. so if these horses are not going to be killed for human slaughter, what does happen? horses do get old. some horses get sick and some horses like other animals have to be put down, right?

>> sure. think of dogs, you know. we have unwanted dogs in our society. we have humane societies, we have spcas, animal care and control facilities. we have pet owners. you reach end-of-life decisions for animals and you handle those decisions responsibly. number one, you try toy provide the lifetime care for an animal you own and then when you reach a point where you can't care for the animal, you can relinquish the animal to a shelter or a rescue organization. you can give that animal to someone else. who can care for it. or all of that fails, you can have a veterinarian come out and euthanize the animal. there is nothing illegal about that. it is not the best practice if you're a pet owner. same thing with horses. you should care for your horse. but if you can't, there are thousands of sanctuaries that exist in this country, privately funded by welfare advocates that exist as a safety net. we at the humane society of the united states have the two

largest equine protection -- the black beauty ranch in texas and a facility in oregon but if all of that fails, you can euthanize the animal. in a rural area, you can shoot an animal if you do it humanely in the head but the idea of then creating a commercial market for horses and funneling the horses into the slaughter pipeline, shipping them to a slaughter plant 300 miles away or 1,000 miles away which is what was happening when we had three plants operating as recently as 2007 is not our idea of responsible animal ownership. if you have animals, you should care for them. and if you can't care for them, there is a better option than funneling them into this really predatory industry. usda says 92% of all horses that go into the slaughter pipeline are perfectly healthy. the meat industry doesn't want the old and the sick and the lame.

they want animals that are going to produce decent meat. >> bill: wayne pacelle our guest here. 1-866-55-press our toll free number if you have a question or comment on this issue. i have to ask you -- as you were walking in, i spotted this story out of canada where there's an apartment over top of a pet store, a python -- tragic story -- python escaped from the pet store, slithered up through a vent into the apartment upstairs and strangled, killed two little boys who were sleeping there. >> well, bill, you know, it is amazing. we at the humane society of the united states have been working a lot on this issue in the united states. there is a robust trade in large, constricting snakes for use as pets. you've got pet stores that peddle these to people who want a burmese python, they want a boa constrictor, they want a green anaconda. >> bill: why? >> well, people want exotic pets. some people want exotic pets.

we think dogs and cats who have been domesticated for thousands of years make suitable pets. it is not appropriate to have a tiger, a lion, a chimpanzee or a green anaconda as a pet. people get tired of them. they realize they're too much for them to handle and then they discard them. in the overglades, it is estimated there are tens of thousands of burmese pythons that were released there by pet owners who didn't want anything more of them. there was a case where a hurricane plowed through a shop that had a lot of these animals and they perhaps escaped at that point. but we see, at the humane society of the u.s., every single day, we see incidents of the animals escaping, someone being injured, not as often, people being killed but we've got a laundry list on our web site, humanesociety.org of incidents of people being killed by large, constricting snakes. kids are vulnerable. we're pressing the obama

administration to ban four more species of exotic constricting snakes in the u.s. >> bill: this is crazy why anybody would want them. another good thing the humane society is doing. humanesociety.org is the web site. wayne pacelle is our guest. we'll be right back. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us. ç]

we have a big, big hour and the iq will go way up. (vo) current tv gets the conversation started weekdays at 9 eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. the troops love me. tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy. (vo) sharp tongue. >>excuse me? (vo) quick wit. >> and yes, president obama does smell like cookies and freedom. (vo) and above all, opinion and attitude. >> really?! this is the kind of stuff they say about something they just pulled freshly from their [bleep]. >> you know what those people are like. >> what could possibly go wrong >> my producer just coughed up a hairball. >>sorry.

>>just be grateful current tv doesn't come in "smell-o-vision" >> oh come on! the sweatshirt is nice and all, but i could use a golden lasso. (vo)only on current tv. >> announcer: the "bill press show" is joining free speech tv starting september 3rd. stay up to date by following us on twitter at bpshow. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: we'll tell you more about free speech tv, freespeech.org. check it out.

that's where we move on september 3rd. wayne pacelle from the humane society. president of the humane society of america in studio with us. >> we've done morning radio and tv for awhile now. our biggest fear, of course, is sleeping in. that nightmare came true for al roker this morning. he tweeted after 39 years, it happened. i overslept and i missed a show. he missed the start of the al roker -- 39 years. never missed a show. never been late. his alarm clock had an issue this morning and he missed it. he overslept. >> pretty good record. >> it is a good record. >> bill: you would think with muscle memory after 39 years of getting up at that time, you would wake up. it doesn't happen. if you don't set the alarm. wayne, chris is calling from texas. hi, chris. >> caller: hello, sir. >> bill: yes, your question. >> caller: it is not actually a question. many americans have no problem eating pigs and chickens raised in cages that can't move.

they eat milk-fed veal that never moves but when it comes to horses, they're not treated as livestock. they're set at some different level. if you can't slaughter horses, they end up starving. you have blm horses on government land. they're not the romantic mustangs everyone believes they are. >> bill: i got your point. in the interest of time, i want to give wayne a chance to respond. >> chris is in muchson, texas, where the black beauty ranch, the humane society of the united states, we have the largest animal sanctuary in the united states. chris, go on by and see our folks. we have 700 -- we have wild horses, animals rescued from slaughter horses. the wild horse is a different issue. the bureau of land management which manages about 35,000 wild horses forbids the slaughter of those animals so it is not -- yes, do you have population issues for those animals but those are not the slaughtered

animals. we can do better than get healthy horses and funnel them into the slaughter industry. >> bill: quickly tell us what crazy steve king is trying to do in congress. less than a minute. >> steve king, republican congressman from iowa is on the ag committee and when it was considering the farm bill, inserted an amendment to essentially nullify dozens of state animal welfare laws and we're fighting it. it is not in the senate version of the farm bill. steve king, the guy who has an extreme record on so many issues including on animal welfare, is trying to really cut the legs out of the animal welfare movement nationwide. go to humane society.org for more details. >> bill: humane society.org. hopefully people see steve king as crazy on anything he tries. wayne pacelle, so good to have you in studio. so grateful for all of your great work. >> thank you. >> bill: thanks so much. come back with jon ward from "huffington post."

>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." if you believe in state's rights but still support the drug war you must be high. >> "viewpoint" digs deep into the issues of the day. >> do you think there is any chance we'll ever hear the president even say the word "carbon tax"? >> with an opened mind... >> has the time finally come for real immigration reform? >> ...and a distinctly satirical point of view. >> but you mentioned great leadership so i want to talk about donald rumsfeld. >> (laughter) >> cutting throught the clutter of today's top stories. >> this is the savior of the republican party? i mean really? >> ... with a unique perspective. >> teddy rosevelt was a weak asmatic kid who never played sports until he was a grown up. >> (laughter) >> ... and lots of fancy buzz words. >> family values, speding, liberty, economic freedom, hard-working moms, crushing debt, cute little puppies. if wayne lapierre can make up stuff that sounds logical while making no sense... hey, so can i. once again friends, this is live tv and sometimes these things

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>> bill: it is 33 minutes after the hour now here on a tuesday. tuesday, august 6th. it is "full court press." we're coming to you live from our nation's capital and our studio right here on capitol hill in washington, d.c. you regulars know that we are collecting friends who live within a stone's throw of the studio that we can count on to come in the morning.

the capitol hill tribe we're trying to assemble. and we found another one. john wart, senior political reporter for "huffington post." used to join me down at the white house for the white house briefings every day. now he moved on to bigger and better things but john, great to see you. neighbor. thanks for coming in. >> collecting friends, is that like facebook? >> bill: we do that, too. facebook.com/billpressshow. we're trying to get these guys to move into the hill. i'm the only one who lives within a stone's throw. >> i spend enough time here. >> we rent by the way. >> bill: i see. >> just to be clear. [ laughter ] >> bill: i've got a place i could sell you. there's a lot going on. this spat between chris christie

and rand paul, is that real and does that represent kind of the inner conflict between -- in the republican party as to which direction it goes? >> i think to make your point, i think last week was a really interesting week because you had christie and paul fighting and you also had rubio kind of going to the mat on the obamacare defunding thing. running as hard as he can to catch up with ted cruz which is amazing, i thought. the chris christie, rand paul fight, sure, it is that fundamental difference on kind of foreign policy and the role that the nation, on the global stage and rand paul represents sort of this burgeoning and increasingly influential stream of thought, you know. inside the g.o.p.

and there's a range of how far to the right on this or maybe not even to the right but how far you go on this train of thought of how much foreign involvement do we want? if you're ron paul, you say we don't want any or not very much. i guess. and if you're rand paul, you want some and then there's others who are just sympathetic because they're like yeah, we are overextended. >> bill: but, this libertarian streak, if you will in the republican party which is very attractive. but how far do you go with it, i guess. and obviously chris christie. but clearly -- >> rand paul has had way more success talking about foreign policy, talking about domestic policy to the extent it is about civil liberties, you know. if he were to ever to run for president, you know, i would have a lot of trouble, i think, selling his tax plan because i

think it's flat tax or something along those lines where you would have to -- you would have to confront the fact that it raises rates on low-income earners. >> bill: both of them obviously have their eyes set on 2016, right? >> sure. >> bill: this is part of their staking out their territory, right? is rubio still -- rubio -- >> look, i think rubio -- i mean if i was his adviser and i'm not and i probably don't know very much compared to some of his advisers, who knows because i don't have all of the access to polling that they do. maybe they're acting somewhat rationally. in my opinion, he should have just held pat and said i worked hard to try to get immigration passed. i took shots from the right. i've come down a few notches in the opinions of those in iowa

but i'm going to stand by what i did and try to see it through in the house. i'm going to move forward. but then, you know, this thing with obamacare, i think it looks panicky. >> bill: it looked like he had staked out his claim again then he realizes maybe i'm too far out in front as being a middle of the road -- hardly middle of the road but somebody who tries to get problems. i have to veer suddenly back to the right to take my -- >> it is not like i did a scientific survey but i talked to a decent number of activists after the immigration fight was over in the senate. and yet you heard oh, he's taking some water. you also heard he at least stuck his neck out. but now that he's doing all of this regulating, it makes it look more calculated and political which makes it look less admirable. >> bill: on the 2016 front, the other thing which i find amusing, yesterday, reince priebus, the chair of the

republican national committee warned cnn and nbc if they go ahead with their plans to air a documentary about former secretary of state hillary clinton, the rnc will not allow any presidential debates -- primary debates to be held on their channel, cnn and nbc. what does that tell you? >> i think the rnc said they would not cosponsor any debates. >> bill: oh, okay. which may mean they don't happen, right? >> i don't know the technical details of that. i covered just about every debate last cycle. but part of this is as we're talking about is they want to try to get ahead of hillary and you know, head her off at the pass whenever they can. but there is a real concern, i think, about the debate process. for the republicans. maybe they do want to sabotage

the way that the debates are set up because they really didn't like the fact that a lot of the debates were run by institutions they felt were hostile. go back to i think the second debate anyway, it was in new hampshire. right around the time of the primary. it wouldn't have been the second debate. and you remember that question that stephanopoulos had for romney about -- shoot, i'm blanking on what it was. do you remember what it was? something having to do with either abortion or rape -- anyway, there was a question that stephon appear louse asked romney that came out of nowhere and a lot of people felt like you know, he was setting him up for the cycle of stories that came later. i can't believe i'm blanking on what the question was. >> bill: i thought the big thing -- how many debates? 25 in the primary or something

like that. it is hard to believe. >> hard to believe that was good or healthy for the candidates or for the party. >> i think the question is the one about banning contraception. was that it? he was asked about banning contraception. the great thing for us anyway about the g.o.p. debates was there were so many -- not to use a word that was overused, so many gaffes by republicans in those debates that gave a lot of fuel for the media to keep soft covering and show what a bad class of candidates they had last time around. >> there's two trains of thought, too, also on having lots of debates because guess who loved having all of those debates. newt gingrich in particular. he had no money but this was free media. >> bill: rick santorum. >> helped him as well. and i think what you had early in the fall of 2011 before you got into the caucuses and primaries, part of the reason you had herman cain and all of

the other ridiculous characters leading in the polls is because of the debates as well. so i don't know how positive that was. but i mean at least we all got a look at each of them. michele bachmann. >> bill: yeah. they were colorful. then rick perry. >> i'm not sure that helped the party. >> you could argue that it helps -- you could argue that it helps to have, you know, guys with not a lot of money be able to compete. at the same time if you're the rnc, you probably want to have your nominee, you know, wrapped up as early as possible so they can get ready for the general because that did hurt romney. >> they also made the point, the more debates they had, the stronger the candidate would be. romney was becoming a stronger candidate by having the debates. that wasn't necessarily the case. >> it sucks a lot of time out of your campaign. >> bill: back to this threat on the part of the rnc chair, it

is striking to me, they really don't want to run against hillary in 2016 so they're doing anything they can like right now to derail her. >> i don't know -- want to, don't want to. they probably realize it is fairly imminent unless her health does not allow her to. >> bill: they've got to look at their field and who could beat hillary clinton? >> she's formidable. it is not a question of wanting to or not wanting to. this is probably going to happen. we need to start working now to weaken her. >> bill: they can look at the national political scene here with our reporter from "the huffington post." john, talk about paul ryan, too. you've been reporting on him, too. when we come back, big announcement here in washington from texas state senator wendy davis which has a lot of people

talking. could she be the first democrat to win statewide office in texas? in 20 years or something like that. 1-866-55-press to join us on the "full court press" this tuesday morning. >> announcer: like politics? then like the "bill press show." on facebook. this is the "bill press show."

i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us. we have a big big hour and the iq will go way up. (vo) current tv gets the converstion started weekdays at 9am eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. >> you are. >> the troops love me. (vo) tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block.

>> you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy. just be grateful current tv does not come in smellivision. the sweatshirt is nice and all, but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. >> bill: 13 minutes here before the top of the hour.

think progress sports blog will be here to talk about a-rod. right now, we're talking the national political scene with senior political reporter for "huffington post," jon ward. in studio with us. john, before we do that, i just gotta tell you again, freespeech.org. that's where you go to find out how to keep up with us on the tv side, radio, nothing changes. your local progressive talk radio station, god bless them, will be there continuing with you. but next week, august 15, last day on current tv. we'll pick up again on tv and online on september 3rd. very, very important. september 3rd, just so you go to freespeech.org. you can watch us on your television set if you have a satellite dish either on directv or dish network. and you can stream us online at freespeech.org. >> if you have any questions at all about where to find it, go

to freespeech.org. they have a great web site. for instance like if you don't have the satellite dish companies, you might be able to see it on cable. there is a list of how you can find those on their web site. great, great resource there so check it out. >> bill: you had a quick -- >> you guys were talking about 2016, there is an interesting poll here by quinnipiac, asked to rate the politicians on a scale of -- zero to 100 representing how they feel about how hot they are. not how good-looking they are but how much heat they have, political heat and leading the pack was chris christie. he has the hottest politician out there right now. >> bill: hotter than hillary? >> well, hillary is right behind him. he had a 53.1 score. she had a 52.1. so they're right at each other. >> it was rand paul's crack about him being the king of bacon. >> the president, by the way was at 47.6% in fourth place with

the most heat right now. what does he care? he's not running again. >> bill: speaking of chris christie, peggy noonan who was pretty powerful voice in the republican party circles on the conservative side -- slamming -- people read her and -- >> she's actually interesting. >> bill: i respect her. she's not crazy, right? she really came down hard on christie the other day. >> she does occasional blog posts on the journal web site. she wrote one yesterday, last night. slamming -- sort of his slam against rand paul. she accused him of emotional manipulation because he said rand paul should come and talk to the victims of 9-11. you know, she has a point. it was sort of reminiscent of the bush days when a lot of arguments boiled down to well, you know, tell that to the families of the 9-11 victims.

and of course, you know, any participant politics can do this, play up -- emotional manipulation. she made that point. a lot of politics nowadays is done this way.% emotional manipulation. it was interesting to see an establishment, conservative republican voice. she was, of course a speechwriter for reagan. hit christie on this. it points to the fact that rand paul is not seen as a fringe character. he's gaining support from people like peggy noonan which i think that's significant. >> bill: liz cheney, is she a joke? does she have a chance? >> you can never count out or call a joke, call a cheney a joke. you know they're going to come to play. so it does look like she miscalculated on running in wyoming. "national journal" had a smart piece last week about how it would have made a lot more sense for her to run in virginia even if they she were to lose becaust

would have been more of a team play because the republicans need a candidate to take on warner and wyoming is like the reliable vote. sensible guy. >> bill: she lived in virginia. >> she lived in virginia for most of her life. she just moved to wyoming. that's what her father did. he moved there and was accused of carpet bagging but won anyway. so she's way behind in the polls but there is also a year plus, i think until the primary. i think it is about this time next year. and so there's plenty of time for her to work the cheney magic as bill press loves to say. >> bill: i don't know that the words cheney magic have ever escaped ply lips. to tell the truth. there you go. all right. now, finally, as a journalist, what do you think when you wake up this morning and find out% that "the washington post" has been sold?

is this good or bad for journalism? >> i found out yesterday. >> bill: how did it hit you? >> you found out because you read your news online, not out of a newspaper, right? >> that's exactly right. you know, i think it's good. i mean i think it's sad and seismic that the grahams no longer own the post but i'm glad it is not a corporation or a conglomerate. i am glad it is an individual. i hope he has a long and storied and successful ownership. i think the post has done a lot more good work. i'm clicking a lot more links. i just hope that bezos is a great owner. >> bill: i think what you just said says a lot about why bases so a great fit for the post because you didn't say you're reading more, right? online. you are clicking a lot more link to "the washington post." and that's where it's going. that's what --

>> that's where it is. >> bill: that's where it is. nobody better than bezos, i think can take it. god knows where. >> i hope so. it is sad to see "the post" go downhill. hopefully this will continue to be a chance for them to resurge. >> bill: we'll tell you what the p.o.t.u.s. is up to today. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." ç]

you know who is coming on to me now? you know the kind of guys that do reverse mortgage commercials? those types are coming on to me all the time now. (vo) she gets the comedians laughing and the thinkers thinking. >>ok, so there's wiggle room in the ten commandments, that's what you're saying. you would rather deal with ahmadinejad than me. >>absolutely. >> and so would mitt romney. (vo) she's joy behar.

>>and the best part is that current will let me say anything. what the hell were they thinking? current tv is the place for true stories. with award winning documentaries that take you inside the headlines. real, gripping, current. documentaries... on current tv. >> announcer: follow us on twitter at bpshow.

this is the "bill press show." >> bill: president obama on the road again today. yeah, he's tired of hanging around the white house. he heads off to phoenix and then to los angeles. first of all, in phoenix, get out there at 11:40 mountain standard time. he will be touring ericsson construction in chandler, arizona, then delivering remarks at the desert vista high school in phoenix, arizona. leaves phoenix then to go on to los angeles. arriving on the west coast time at 3:25 this afternoon. we'll helicopter over to burbank where he will tape an appearance on "the tonight show" with jay leno. that will air tonight, of course. tonight show. and press secretary jay carney will gaggle aboard air force i. travis waldron from "huffington post" sports at the top of the next hour on the "full court

press." >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

[ ♪ theme ] >> bill: good morning, everybody. happy tuesday. tuesday, august 6th. if you can believe it. good to have you with us this morning and thank you for joining us on the "full court press" coming to you live on current tv all the way across this great land of ours, coast-to-coast from our studio on capitol hill in washington, d.c. lots to talk about this morning and lot that you are going to want to comment on, we know. you can do so by giving us a call at 1-866-55-press.

by joining us on twitter, send us your comments on twitter at bpshow or on facebook at facebook.com/billpressshow. yes, indeed. major league baseball finally dropped the hammer yesterday on a-rod. suspending him for 211 games but they've allowed him to continue to play while he appeals that decision. in fact, he played last night against the white sox in chicago. 12 other players were slapped with a 50-game suspension which started immediately. and washington shakingen up this morning with headlines that the "washington post" has been sold to jeff bezos, founder of amazon for $250 million. the white house meanwhile defending its decision to keep 19 embassies in the middle east closed for an entire week. due to what the white house says is a significant terrorist threat which it is taking

seriously. again, we'll bring you up to date on all of that and take your calls here on current tv. criticizing, and holding policy to the fire. are you encouraged by what you heard the president say the other night? is this personal, or is it political? a lot of my work happens by doing the things that i'm given to doing anyway, by staying in touch with everything that is going on politically and putting my own nuance on it. in reality it's not like they actually care. this is purely about political grandstanding. i've worn lots of hats, but i've always kept this going. i've been doing politics now for a dozen years. (vo) he's been called the epic politics man. he's michael shure and his arena is the war room. >> these republicans in congress that think the world ends at the atlantic ocean border and pacific ocean border. the bloggers and the people that are sort of compiling the best of the day. i do a lot of looking at those people as well. not only does senator rubio just care about rich people, but somehow he thinks raising the

minimum wage is a bad idea for the middle class. but we do care about them right?

cenk off air alright in 15 minutes we're going to do the young turks! i think the number 1 thing than viewers like about the young turks is that were honest. they know that i'm not bsing them for some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know i'm going to be the first one to call them out. cenk on air>> what's unacceptable is how washington continues to screw the middle class over. cenk off air i don't want the middle class taking the brunt of the spending cuts and all the different programs that wind up hurting the middle class. cenk on air you got to go to the local level, the state level and we have to fight hard to make sure they can't buy our politics anymore. they can question if i'm right about that. but i think the audience gets that, i actually mean it. cenk on air 3 trillion dollars in spending cuts! narrator uniquely progressive and always topical, the worlds largest online news show is on current tv. cenk off air and i think the audience

gets, "this guys to best of his abilities is trying to look out for us." only on current tv! >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >> bill: breaking news. read all about it. "the washington post" has been sold! that is a shocker. in our nation's capital this morning and around the globe, around the nation at least, for anybody interested, still interested in journalism. sold to jeff bezos, the creator of amazon.com. good morning, everybody. great to see you this morning.

thank you for joining us. it is the "full court press." we are coming to you live from our nation's capital and our studio on capitol hill. rainy day here in our nation's capital today. good to have you with us. this tuesday, august 6th to hopscotch across the big stories of the day. here in our nation's capital, around the country and around the globe and of course, give you a chance to comment at 1-866-55-press, by phone or on twitter at bpshow and on facebook at facebook.com/billpressshow. lots going on with "the washington post" being sold. a-rod being slapped with a 211-game suspension and this continuing terrorist threat in the middle east with our embassies closed. we'll cover it all in our next hour together. peter ogborn and dan henning, team press here. >> good morning. >> bill: alichia cruz has the phones covered and cyprian bowlding, our videographer

keeping us looking good on current tv. little earlier, think progress managing editor igor volsky was here for his regular tuesday appearance. this is think progress day at the "full court press." we want to welcome back at the top of this hour, the newest venture of think progress which is the sports blog think progress. sports blogger, travis waldron back in studio with us. nice to see you. >> thanks for having me. >> bill: you were here when you launched the sports blog on think progress. and that was just like two weeks ago? >> we launched the beginning of july. >> bill: beginning of july. a month. >> it has been a month. >> it is a weird time. >> bill: how is it going so far? >> normally that's a slow period for sports stories because there's no football, no basketball, baseball is sort of at the halfway point but there's been a lot of stuff -- a lot of

stuff going on. >> sports in july is typically like politics in august. you just try to make it through the month. it has been great so far. >> bill: good response? >> a-rod, ncaa, everybody is making it a little easier. >> bill: that's what we want to talk to you about at thinkprogress.org. you can follow them. so this -- starting this hour with travis. and then at the half, we're going to be talking to the director of the law enforcement -- law enforcement against prohibition or leap about relaxation of marijuana laws in this country and not only in this country but in south america as well. but first... >> announcer: this is the "full court press." >> other headlines making news on this tuesday, sidney leathers has made a porn video. yes, the woman that sexted with anthony weiner appears nude in a new vivid entertainment project where she talks in detail about

her sexting and phone sex chats with the new york city mayoral candidate. no word on what she was paid for the project. >> bill: this is just the tease for the real thing? >> there is a five-minute free video online in which she gets completely naked. the trailer for the extended version. >> if you want to see her in action, you gotta pay money. >> bill: having watched the five-minute trailer, i would say don't waste your time. >> because i use the "bill press show" account to buy copies for all of our guests today. [ laughter ] >> late night comedians are going after president obama over any other politician according to a new george mason university study. analysis shows over the last six months, the president was the butt of the most monologue jokes by kimmel and ferguson. second place was weiner. last year, over the same time

period, mitt romney was at the receiving end for the most jokes over anyone else. >> bill: well, you know, when times are slow, the president is always there. >> comes with the territory. >> absolutely. >> "newsweek" "daily beast" chief tina brown went head to head with a former employee of hers on twitter yesterday after former "daily beast" media critic howard kurtz tweeted brown tried hard to save "newsweek" but it was full of chaos, waste and dysfunction. tina brown tweeted back to him "am i forgetting something or didn't i fire you for serial inaccuracy"? >> ouch. >> a little bit of a burn there. >> i hope howie has a -- >> bill: i think howie should have known better than to take on tina brown. so travis, what is the take -- what's your take on a-rod? i've got so many questions about this. do you think the punishment fit the crime?

and why did they let him continue to play? after suspending him for 211 games? it is a mixed message here? >> to the first question, i think does the punishment fit the crime is a case that baseball is maybe going to have to make in front of the arbitrator now because there is a set process for suspending players under drug offenses and it says that first offense is 50 games, second offense is 100 games and the third self-defense a lifetime ban. now, there is ambiguity in that in terms of when they don't have a positive test. technically, a-rod is still a first offender. he's never failed a test even though he's admitted to using. why a-rod gets to continue playing -- >> bill: but on that point, right, he's also charged with impeding the investigation. >> which. which is the argument they're going to make is not only did he use -- >> bill: what did he do? >> i think he tried to buy the records from tony bosh, the

doctor so that baseball couldn't get them. he was going to buy them and then burn them or shred them. >> lock them away somewhere. >> destroy them somehow. i assume there are 13 or 14 guys who wish he would have been successful in that. >> bill: so they get him for more than the drug use. >> that's what they're trying to do. but it is a little unclear in the drug agreement and in the collective bargaining agreement whether baseball has the authority to just say you know, you've got to sit out 211 games and so they're going to have to go -- they're going to make this argument and a-rod and his lawyers and the union are going to make their argument in front of the arbitrator and we'll see -- >> bill: i was going to say. who decides? >> there is an independent arbitrator who is hired jointly by baseball and the union. there is a twist here because last year, there was a different arbitrator and he was fired by

baseball. baseball no longer wanted him there because he threw out the ryan braun suspension. >> bill: but ryan braun was just suspended again. >> suspended for now because they caught him with the ties to biogenesis is. when he was originally suspended, they through it out. it couldn't stand. >> bill: how about allowing him to play? >> allowing him to play, i think is really the only thing they could have done. well, obviously bud selig, the commissioner would have loved to not have him play. but there is a lot of questions about due process and the process that is laid out in the drug policy for suspensions and it says there that when you are -- when you're suspended, you get to play during the appeals process. had he used the collective bargaining agreement the way he thought about it, he wouldn't have gotten the play during the appeals process most likely. but the drug agreement gives

you -- gives -- it stays the suspension while they're appealing. so he can play through the appeals process which, according to the union head is probably not going to be resolved before the end of the season. >> bill: they'll drag it out. isn't there is a risk. that meaning he has -- if it is upheld, he has 211 games. so the longer he waits before he starts not playing, if that makes sense, right, before he stops playing, then that's when the clock starts running for 211 games so right now, if he stopped right today, that would take him through the end of 2014. >> through the end of next year. >> bill: if he goes to the end of the season, the 211 games will take him into 2015. >> maybe a-rod is delusional. maybe a-rod is 100% right. >> i think he's pretty delusional.

>> sure. but i think there is an argument -- i was going through the drug agreement yesterday and a few other people wrote some great pieces about the specifics of the drug agreement and there are some really cloudy pieces of how suspensions can be handled and so it is going to come down really to what evidence baseball has which, if the process follows the way it's supposed to, we'll never see because these are supposed to be confidential. and how the arbitrator rules on it. you know, a-rod certainly seems to think he has a case. the union certainly seems to think he has a case or maybe the union is just taking the side because it is one of their players. you're right. if he loses, then we're into 2015 territory. >> at that point, he doesn't have a whole lot of juice left. right now, so to speak. >> we don't know. but, right.

he's 38 years old. so you're already taking him toward age 40 in the 2015 season. i don't know -- a-rod has already been a little on the front line. i don't know how he can keep going. >> bill: two knee surgeries and two hip surgeries and he's 38? >> he's not -- >> bill: that machine is not -- >> not the best. >> bill: so the other 12 players who are probably very grateful to a-rod because nobody is talking about him. they had a 50-game suspension. they started right away. they'll be back next season. >> right. that's the thing though. it is actually funny. we were talking about this. a-rod is the biggest name and the biggest story. and because it is the biggest suspension baseball has ever handed down for drugs, it is major. but there are two other guys who will have a far bigger impact which is jhonny peralta and cruz who are nighting to get into the playoffs.

they're both starters and key players and now they're gone. they didn't appeal. baseball followed the drug agreement for them. they said there was evidence we don't -- we're not going to win an appeal. >> bill: they didn't dispute it? >> there were some people arguing they should dispute it and just carry out the appeal and try to help their team but they're also -- >> talking about the playoffs. >> but they're also both going to be free agents at the end of the season so i think they wanted to get it out of the way and not go into next season with a 50 game suspension. >> bill: when does the arbitration process start? >> within a few weeks. that's their hope, i think. but there's no timetable for how long it will be. >> bill: how well do you think a-rod will be received his first game back in yankee stadium? >> that's interesting. he got booed last night. it wasn't as bad as people played it up to be but it is also chicago and they're like terrible. so there weren't very many people at the game. and i think there was -- when

they were showing the pictures, maybe i saw the yes network, the new york feed. they were showing yankee fans mostly. >> oh, wow. >> i don't know. it is going to be interesting because i was talking about this with someone yesterday. call me a -- i was talking about this. if i'm a yankees fan, they're five games out of the playoffs. a-rod is a far better third baseman than any of the guys they've run out there this year. i would be like hey, i'll take you back. maybe that makes me a terrible person but if he was on my favorite team and they needed a third baseman -- >> i think there is also the mentality that if they cut him loose and they lose him, then that clears up the money to maybe rebuild a better team next year and the year after. but i think you're right. the beginning of their season, they looked like they were screwed. they actually have a fighting chance now. >> interesting stat.

the yankees third baseman, the people who have played third base this year have hit four total home runs. the pitchers for the chicago cubs have hit five. [ laughter ] so they're running like a bunch of minor leaguers. a-rod is 38 years old, he's an improvement. if he comes back and they put together a five or six game win streak and get themselves back into the playoff hunt, i think the perception will change. a-rod said this is new york. people like people who produce. i think he's right. >> bill: kind of thinking that means that anthony weiner has a chance to be elected mayor of new york. we'll forgive anything as long as he can win. travis waldron in here, sports reporter. your questions, comments about a-rod. we have to get into the ncaa when we come back, too. lots going on here.

1-866-55-press. >> announcer: live on free speech tv beginning september 3rd, learn all of the details at billpressshow.com. this is the "bill press show." >> you are. >> the troops love me. but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. >> you are. >> the troops love me. the sweatshirt is nice and all, but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv.

if you believe in state's rights but still support the drug war you must be high. >> "viewpoint" digs deep into the issues of the day. >> do you think there is any chance we'll ever hear the president even say the word "carbon tax"? >> with an opened mind... >> has the time finally come for real immigration reform? >> ...and a distinctly satirical point of view. >> but you mentioned great leadership so i want to talk about donald rumsfeld. >> (laughter) >> cutting throught the clutter of today's top stories. >> this is the savior of the republican party? i mean really? >> ... with a unique perspective. >> teddy rosevelt was a weak asmatic kid who never played sports until he was a grown up. >> (laughter) >> ... and lots of fancy buzz words. >> family values, speding, liberty, economic freedom, hard-working moms, crushing debt, cute little puppies. if wayne lapierre can make up stuff that sounds logical while making no sense... hey, so can i. once again friends, this is live tv and sometimes these things

happen. >> watch the show. >> only on current tv. >> announcer: like us at facebook.com/billpressshow. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: here we go. it is 25 minutes after the hour now. with -- we're talking sports and more with travis waldron who is the sports reporter for think progress. thinkprogress.org. travis, before we talk about

johnny, another travis has a word from chicago. hi, travis. >> caller: good morning, how are you? >> bill: we're good. what's your point? >> my point is chicago fans aren't nuts. we just want clean players. i'm a father of two kids. baseball's morals are completely offbase. i don't want my kids doing drugs. i want them to play baseball. it is a game. these guys are getting paid millions and millions of dollars. they need to keep it clean. pete rose can't get in the hall of fame. johnny, the guy had more hits than ty cobb and they won't let him in to the hall of fame? that is an injustice. that's not right but then they'll give a-rod a chance and they'll give all of the other guys chances. it is not right. >> bill: we got it, travis. good to hear from you. there are people questioning this morning whether a-rod will ever qualify for the hall of fame. if this suspension is upheld. it would have to be -- >> i will say that a-rod should

not be in the hall of fame until barry bonds is come. if barry bonds deserves to be in. >> bill: what's your autograph? >> probably not much. >> bill: johnny menzel? >> apparently a lot. everybody but him. >> bill: he's a great player. heisman trophy. why shouldn't he be allowed to -- peter makes the point, the university makes all kinds of money off his face and his name, right? he gets not a penny of that. why can't he sell his autographs or why shouldn't he be able to? >> well, he can't because of an ncaa rule. pretty much the only reason. they have a rule that says athletes can't endorse product and that includes signing things and when you do that and you're paid for it, then you're ineligible which makes no sense to me and judging by the reaction to the mansell story,

not many other people either. you mentioned how much money texas a&m makes. he was worth $37 million to the university. >> whoa. >> in free media exposure in terms of how many jerseys they sold. how much money he was worth for putting texas a&m out there. it was the big story of college football last year. johnny menzel was the big story. you don't hear him without hearing texas a&m. >> wow. >> bill: he brings them in $37 million. >> not $37 million directly but he's worth $37 million. >> he should be able to cash in on some of that. >> that doesn't even count what he brings to the ncaa and espn and cbs. everybody else involved in this business. >> i don't know why they want -- it is one thing to absorb your time with outside things but make a little money off it. >> bill: travis, good work. great work. thanks for coming in again. thinkprogress.org.

>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." they should self-deport? >> no, they said "make us a >> (laughter). >> she gets the comedians laughing. >> that's the best! >> that's hilarious. >> ... and the thinkers thinking. >> okay, so there is wiggle room in the ten commandments is what you're telling me. >> she's joy behar. >> ya, i consider you jew-talian. >> okay, whatever you want. >> who plays kafka? >> who saw kafka? >> who ever saw kafka? >> (laughter). >> asking the tough questions. >> chris brown, i mean you wouldn't let one of your daughters go out with him. >> absolutely not. >> you would rather deal with ahmadinejad then me? >> absolutely! >> (singing) >> i take lipitor, thats it. >> are you improving your lips? >> (laughter). >> when she's talking, you never know where the conversation is going to go. >> it looks like anthony wiener is throwing his hat in the ring. >> his what in the ring? >> his hat. >> always outspoken, joy behar. >> and the best part is that

current will let me say anything. what the hell were they thinking? >> only on current tv.

>> announcer: the "bill press show" is joining free speech tv starting september 3rd. stay up to date by following us on twitter at bpshow. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: 33 minutes after the hour. here we go. the "full court press." again, nothing changes on radio, progressive talk radio. we'll continue all the way through on the tv side. little different. next week, august 15, our last day on current tv because current tv goes away on september 3rd. we'll take a hiatus on tv. we'll start video streaming

right away at billpressshow.com and then on september 3rd, we'll show up on free speech tv and watch it two ways, on your tv set with a satellite dish, directv or the dish network and if you don't have a satellite dish, you're on cable then just go to your computer and click on freespeech.org and you can video stream the show. so you can keep up with us, listening and watching all the way through and we're very excited about that opportunity. big news on the marijuana front. you know, it is an issue we feel strongly about here. talk a lot about on the show. we've had two states now legalize the recreational use of marijuana and the country of our guy has announced that they're on their way to creating the world's first legal national marijuana industry. neil franklin is a retired state

police major with the state of maryland, now an executive director of law enforcement against prohibition or leap. major, great to see you this morning. >> great to be back, bill. thanks for having me. >> bill: indeed. so how did this come about with uruguay? they see as an important cash crop? this is pretty significant, isn't it? >> it is probably a combination of that and trying to reduce the violence in their country as well as you know, taking the proceeds away from the criminal marketplace. they also want their police to get back to solving violent crime. that's important. i think that's extremely important. we have been distracted in law enforcement for four decades now. it is time to get back to the business of being -- not a police officer but a peace officer. we're supposed to bring the peace to things and solve violent crimes. we're not doing it. >> bill: does uruguay have a big crop? are they exporting a lot?

>> no, no. the country is what, a little over three million people in uruguay. i just think it is about immediate reform. there are many countries, especially down through central america that are looking for this type of change. but i think that the united states and the united nations have been a roadblock for them but now with the recent changes in colorado and washington state, other countries are like hey, wait a minute. we don't have to worry about any repercussions from the united states. they're not sure going to smack us around for making this decision. >> bill: to me, the contrast is so interesting. here, we've got one entire country saying let's do the sensible thing and move into the 21st century. here for us, it is a big deal just to have two out of 50 states do it. that is for us, a big deal. >> it is a big deal.

bfd as joe biden would say. >> i think you'll see other countries look at uruguay and starting to move forward, too. down through central america, vicente fox is the former president of mexico. we know mexico decriminalized possession of all drugs a few years back. you can look at argentina and chile. i think you can look at a number of other countries that are probably going to move forward. so many countries have already decriminalized, not just possession of marijuana but other drugs. portugal has been out in front. who knows what they'll do. but i think you're going to see a movement here. >> bill: and are we going to see a movement in this country among other states? >> you bet. you bet. you know, the policies for washington and colorado haven't really even taken effect yet. so look to january and you'll see it. in other states already -- >> bill: they're just deciding where people can buy it and how much they pay and what taxes

are -- all of that kind of stuff. >> but right here, maryland and pennsylvania, there were delegates that put forth bills, delegates, not the people, delegates put forth bills to tax and regulate during the past session, you know. and many people don't know that. pennsylvania, maryland, other states as well. so you know, that's not the people moving it like they did in washington and colorado through voter referendum. these are delegates that are finally getting the courage because most of them know that we have to do this. so now they're getting the courage to step forward. the polls are -- nationally, over 50% of the citizens here in this country say it's time. let's move forward. to tax and regulate marijuana for recreational use. >> bill: you're way out in front of this, major. where is law enforcement generally? do you find them -- >> unfortunately, law enforcement tends to follow the political landscape because most of our chiefs of police, they work for the mayor so whatever

the mayor's party line is, that's what they're going to dough. they work for a city manager. you'll find that some sheriffs who are elected by the people in a particular county, sheriffs are beginning to move on this issue because you know, the people put them in office and if the people in that particular county, if they do the polls and they see that over half of the people in that county support tax and regulate for marijuana, you know what? they're going to support it. >> bill: so the police chiefs, they follow the mayors and the mayors, of course, are probably afraid for their own political future, right? to take a pro legalization stance. >> for the most part. there are some mayors around. actually, they just had the national major cities convention -- mair's convention for major cities. they passed the resolution to move forward. >> bill: is that right? >> absolutely. absolutely.

so exactly what that means, remains to be seen. but it is a good indication that the leaders of our cities, you know, are realizing that this has to be done also. unfortunately, on the ground, they're still a little cautious to move forward but it is going to happen real soon. >> bill: that's interesting. think about it, peter. mayor bloomberg, he's against trans fats and against the big gulp, right? i wonder how he came down on pot. maybe as long as you don't smoke it in a bar or restaurant, you would be okay with it. >> be specific. what that resolution was all about. there is a bill in congress -- i think it is 1523 which is asking the federal government to back out of it. and let the states decide. what's best for their communities. that's what we need to do really. >> bill: i was going to get to that. now we have colorado and washington. i have asked this question, major at the white house briefings with jay carney.

so what are the feds going to do? i can't get an answer. nobody else can get an answer out of them. we have a situation where the state law says one thing federal law still says the other. are the feds going to come jumping down on colorado and washington? what indication do you have? >> i don't think so. i think it would be a big mistake. i think if they were going to do that and to be effective at doing it and so they won't leave a really bad taste in the mouths of people. they would have -- they should have done that immediately. >> bill: it would also take a lot of resources. >> this administration is not stupid. they see the polls. the president realizes that every time he has an internet town hall. every time he has a youtube town hall that the number one issue that's out in front is marijuana reform. you know, so he recognizes that.

and any politician today is savvy enough to realize how do i maneuver myself. how do i put myself in a position to get the support of these people. i mean think about all of the elections that are taking place. marijuana reform gets more votes than any other candidate. >> that's been the case for a long time. the president not that along ago had sort of an online town hall, he said the vast majority of questions he got were about marijuana reform. >> absolutely. >> you know, for all of the reputation that pot smokers get as being sort of lazy, they know how to mobilize! they know how to mobilize. >> but remember something. the large majority of people are not pot smokers that want this reform. >> good point. >> our organization, i don't smoke it. and we don't smoke it. it is about the policy with us.

and advocating for tax and regulate does not mean you approve of the use of marijuana. and people need understand that. moving forward with this regulation, what it really means is we want to regulate it. we want to control it. we want a better opportunity to keep it away from children. >> bill: yeah. i think it is coming. i really do. i think it is coming. what difference will it make for law enforcement in colorado or washington? >> it is already making a huge difference. i've been in conversation with the city attorney, pete holmes in seattle. and right away, he cleared the docket of marijuana possession cases for the courts. right away, the police stopped making these low-level possession arrests and it is freeing up their time. relationships are improving between the police and the community which is extremely

important because any police chief who is truly a police chief will tell you that they cannot effectively solve violent crime without the help of the community. so you have to have that good relationship. you're going to see good things regarding that. two basic things, the police will have more time to focus on violent crime and crimes against our children, internet crimes against our children. missing children. and then the second thing is relationships are going to improve between police and community. >> bill: major neil franklin here with law enforcement against prohibition on the "full court press" this tuesday morning. washington, colorado, uruguay, maybe pennsylvania and maryland could be next. what's happening in your state? let us know at 1-866-55-press. nounce go mobile with bill press. download podcasts at billpressshow.com and listen any time, anywhere. this is the "bill press show."

we have a big big hour and the iq will go way up. (vo) current tv gets the converstion started weekdays at 9am eastern. >> i'm a slutty bob hope. >> you are. >> the troops love me. (vo) tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >> you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy. just be grateful current tv does not come in smellivision. the sweatshirt is nice and all, but i could use a golden lasso. (vo) only on current tv. >> "viewpoint" digs deep into the issues of the day. >> has the time finally come for real immigration reform? >> with a distinctly satirical point of view. if you believe in state's rights but still believe in the drug war, you must be high. >> only on current tv.

>> announcer: startling live on free speech tv on september 3rd, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: 12 minutes before the top of the hour here on the "full court press." talking drug policy reform really starting with legalization of marijuana, uruguay, colorado, washington state. back to your comments and our conversation with major neill franklin from law enforcement for prohibition. this caught my eye. talking about colorado. here is a story out of colorado about identity theft. police stopped a man for a

traffic stop search and they looked in his car, found forged documents, social security guards and financial statements. this man was up to identity theft. they got him. but it is a good reminder of how omnipresent it is and how you should be protected against it as i am with lifelock ultimate, the most comprehensive i.d. theft available. it even covers your bank accounts from takeover fraud but of course, lifelock services can't protect you or your bank account if you're not a member. what you ought to do is visit lifelock.com or give them a call, mention press 10 and you'll get 10% off your lifelock ultimate membership. number to call, 1-800-356-5967 for lifelock ultimate. >> you can find us on twitter at bpshow.

you can join the conversation there which is what francis did. she said the war on drugs is a total loss. how many are filling up prisons for minor drug offenses? then again, private prison business loves the drug war. you can find us at bpshow. talk about this. >> bill: major, that is the point. this marijuana legalization state by state by state, it is one slice of the whole drug reform question. isn't it? >> yeah, it is. absolutely. went up to philadelphia about a week and a half ago and spoke to a group of folks up there that were working on marijuana reform in pennsylvania. and one of the things i said to them is that when we get marijuana resolved and we're very close, we're moving forward with that, we can't forget that we have other drugs to deal with. we can't forget we have people who are locked up who are addict to the heroin, addict to the

cocaine and other drugs. the work still needs to carry on. we still need to find a medical system, a medical-based system, not criminal justice, not punishment for dealing with these people, just as we deal with someone who is addicted to alcohol. still a lot of work to be done. >> bill: i was just going to make that point. isn't there a parallel here with alcohol addiction that we recognize as being the proper and the appropriate way to go and yet we have this law enforcement mentality when it comes to drugs. >> we have to get beyond the stigma that we place on people. we have to develop a new mindset for decades, we have been fed this nonsense that people who use these drugs are bad people that they need to be punished when actually they're just like anyone else. i'm addicted to this stuff, coffee. caffeine. and you know, some people are addicted to other drugs and we have to remove the stigma from

that so we can deal with this issue appropriately and empty our prisons out and get the folks back into mainstream society. >> bill: as the name of your organization indicates, prohibition doesn't work. leap.cc. i didn't realize until i read an article in "the new york times," this prohibition against growing marijuana also applies to hemp in this country, doesn't it? >> yeah, it does. >> bill: why? >> there are a number of states trying to move forward with industrial hemp because it is a multibillion dollar industry that we currently import from places like canada. and we one of the main reasons for that is that industrial hemp and marijuana which has the active ingredient thc at high levels where you get high from, semifrom the air.

we have national guard helicopter staff with police officers flying around the country looking for marijuana groves. it would make their job more difficult not being able to distinguish marijuana, the getting high product from industrial hemp. so, hey, just make it all illegal. i think there are some other forces behind that, too. from an economic, corporate america standpoint. >> bill: maybe we can get a smarter policy when it comes to both marijuana and hemp and the other drugs, too. when it happens, it is because of the pioneer work of people like you, major. >> thanks for having me. >> bill: leap, leap.cc. law enforcement against prohibition. >> announcer: follow us on twitter at bpshow. this is the "bill press show."

>> did anyone tell the pilgrims they should self-deport? >> no, they said "make us a turkey and make it fast". >> (laughter). >> she gets the comedians laughing. >> that's the best! >> that's hilarious. >> ... and the thinkers thinking. >> okay, so there is wiggle room in the ten commandments is what you're telling me. >> she's joy behar. >> ya, i consider you jew-talian. >> okay, whatever you want. >> who plays kafka? >> who saw kafka? >> who ever saw kafka? >> (laughter). >> asking the tough questions. >> chris brown, i mean you wouldn't let one of your daughters go out with him. >> absolutely not. >> you would rather deal with ahmadinejad then me? >> absolutely! >> (singing) >> i take lipitor, thats it. >> are you improving your lips? >> (laughter). >> when she's talking, you never know where the conversation is going to go. >> it looks like anthony wiener is throwing his hat in the ring. >> his what in the ring? >> his hat. >> always outspoken, joy behar. >> and the best part is that current will let me say anything. what the hell were they

thinking? >> only on current tv.

current tv is the place for true stories. with award winning documentaries that take you inside the headlines. real, gripping, current. documentaries... on current tv. this show is about analyzing, criticizing, and holding policy to the fire. are you encouraged by what you heard the president say the other night? is this personal or is it political? a lot of my work happens by doing the things that i am given to doing anyway. staying in tough with everything that is going on politically and putting my own nuance on it. not only does senator rubio just care about rich people but somehow he thinks raising the minimum wage is a bad idea for the middle class. but we do care about them, right? tonight at 6 eastern

>> announcer: the parting shot with bill press. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: on this tuesday, august 6th, my parting shot for today, how do you spell desperation? h-i-l-l-a-r-y. republicans are so desperate over the possibility that hillary clinton might run for president in 2016 they're already doing anything they can to destroy her. the latest, rnc chair reince priebus has warned nbc and cnn that if they go forward with their plans to air a documentary about hillary next year, the republican party will refuse to any presidential debates on

their networks. i mean how silly can you get? that's lame for a couple of reasons. one, if anybody deserves a documentary about their extraordinary political career, it is the former first lady of arkansas, first lady of the united states, u.s. senator from new york, candidate for president of the united states and secretary of state, hillary clinton. but second, there's no guarantee that any documentary will be 100% positive anyhow. indeed, no credible documentary would be. so all of this exercise shows how afraid republicans are that hillary could be the democratic nominee in 2016 but then again, you can't blame them. they sure don't have anybody who could beat her. that's my parting shot for today. sam youngman joins us tomorrow as well as democratic strategist michael. with that, folks, go out there and have a great day!

[♪ theme music ] >> stephanie: hello, current tv land, charlie pierce of esquire.com coming up on the big show. comedian, carlos alazraqui right there live in hour number three. >> he has a new movie this week. >> stephanie: really. >> yes, planes. >> stephanie: oh, jacki, it's a kid's film, let's go. carlos has played every form of an